Lure carrier



H. CVRBEG LURE CARRIER July i4, 1931.

Filed June 16, 1950 2 Sheets-Sham ETES-A lllll 1 H. OVERBERG LURECARRIER July 14, 193i.

2 shets-snaai 2 Filed June 16, .1930

Qywmtoz Patented'July 14, 1931 HAR-RY overuse-Iter,V F CINCINNATI, oHIoLURE CARRIER Application filed J' une 16,

Thisv inventionrelates to an electricallymotivated car adapted for useat dog-racing tracks in carrying around the course the ruse or lure,generally in the form of a dummy E) rabbit. i n I Y An object ofthe'invention is to provide improved means of the class described havingnew and simplified features both of mechanicalstruct'ure and of electricmotivation. l0 Another object is to provide such a device whichpractically eliminates the possibility of removal from its tracks duringoperation.

Another object is to provide such a car which is substantially. lighterin weight than those heretofore constructed and which is` compact andreadily portable.

. These and other objects are attained by the means disclosed hereinandillustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sideelevational view of the car of this invention mountedupon its tracks.

Fig. 2`is a view taken on line 2-2 of F ig.1.

3 .is a longitudinal sect-ion through one of the electric brush supportsof the invention.

Fig. i is a Side elevation of a mqdified form of electrical brushassociated with a wheel, parts being broken away.

Fig. 5 is a detail view of the contact wheel shown in Fig. 4.,

Fig. Gis a view taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4. Fig. 7 is a verticalsectional view of another modied form of current carrying meansof theinvention. Fig. 8 is a side elevationof modified guide means. j j j c l'The device of this invention is adapted to run upon surface trackswhich are endless and co'extensive with the racing course which isgenerallyoval lin form. The tracks run immediately adjacent theinneredge of a fenced-in racing course into which the dummy rabbit, carriedby the car upon the opr posite side of the inner fence, is projected.yThese general features are known and need not-be,furtherdetailed.However, it should be remarked that prior devices of the'class of thisinvention have been adapted to run, .either in a pit or ditch extendingdirectly beneath the race course, or else have provided 1930.sefia1N0.461,423. Y

for the overhead conveyance of a suspended 'dummy`rabbit, both of whichtypes involved much expensive structural work. The presentinvention'provides a surface-running car f in the grooved wheels 13and'l4adapted'to run upon the vertical ribs 15 of the surface ytracks16. The outer casing lof motorflO is provided with a pair of spaced,outwardly-projecting flanges 17 and 18 extending horizontally over themotorand rvertically of its sides. The ends of flanges 17 and 18 projectbeneath the motor and are formed with feet 19 `between which a crossplate`20 70 extends. A one-piece trolleyfframe 2l has a central portionpassing horizontally be-l neath thel motorv 10 transversely'thereof andsecured upon the upper face of cross plate 20. Frame 21, extendsupwardly1 above the 75 motor 10 and wheels 13 and 14v and comprises apair of divergent arms having the inter- Amediate angled portions 22 and23 and the vertical end portions 24 and 25. A strengthening bar 37 maybepositioned between the 80 divergent arms. Mounting members' 26 and27;.are attached upon portions 24 and 25k and are vertically adjustablethereof as indicated at 28. The upper parts of members 26 and 27V arebox-like in formv and are provided 85 each with a vertical passage`29within Which l' the pin 30 of bifurcated swivel members 31 extends. Eachpin 30 rests upon andl normally isy urged upwardly by a coil spring 32disposed. upon the base of passage 29. A pulley 33, provided with rollerbearings, is carried by each swivel member 31. Pulleys 33 are adapted torun upon a single track'34 carried by suitable supporting structure 35erected at one side of tracks 16 and hav-U95 ing overhanging arms 36.The relationship of pulleys 33 and track 34 is such that the pulleys,when both are in position, are depressed against the tension of coil srings 32. It will bev seen that byfthis ba anced Vof motor wire 48 tosaidnut. Vnection 47 is adapted to be adjustably iixed structure, thecar is retained in proper operative position upon its tracks. It shouldbe noted that the groove walls of wheels 13, 14, and 33 have suilicientpitch to allow for unimpededmovement of the carv around the curvedportions of its track.

Electric power is transmitted to the car through the tracl s16 into theniotor,'one of the tracks serving as the carrier and the other as thereturn conduit. Severalmeans are hereinset forth for transmitting thecurrent from the rails 16 into the motor. InV all of these forms it isnecessary that wheels 13 and 14 be insulated from the motor shaft 12.This structure isillustrated in Fig. 6. Each yend of'shaft 12 Iis'threadedly received by fa liber bushing 38 disposed in the wheelbearing 39 and projecting outwardly a short distance beyond eachside ofthe wheel.l These projecting portions 40 are surrounded by a fiberwasher 41 which extends outwardly beyond said ends 40: of the bushing `Aflanged nut 42 is threadedly received upon shaft 12 on each side of thewheel and is brought into firm Contact against the adjacent washer 41.'The wheel and shaft Iare lieyed together by means of a liber pin 43passing through nut 42, washer 41v and into the wheel. i

The track-to-inotor circuit means liliewise comprise a pair of pipearms` 44 and 45 extending from a support boX 46 secured upon the lianges17and 18 at one side of the motor 10. Arms 44 and 45 each threadedlyreceives at its free end a T-connection which isjspac'ed from and insubstantial parallelism with Ythe adj acent car wheel. y wires 48 extendinto support box 46 and through arms 44 and 45 as will be further elilained.

nlFigs. 1 and 2 and 3 the outer portion of each Tpiece 47 is providedwith a fiber b ushing 49 the ends of which extend beyond the ends of theT-piece. A metal pin 50, as of bronze, extends through and beyond tliebushing 49 and threadedly receives at eachend a nut 51 and, 52,.respectively, which abut the ends of the bushing 49. A slot 53 in' theupper end of pin 50 has secured therein, Ysuch as by soldering, theendof a copper strip 54, which serves as an electrical contact brush. Athreaded boltr 55 in the edge ofnut 51 is used for attaching the freeend The T-conin an angular relationship relative to the adjacent wheelfor bringing the brush 54 into contact uponv the periphery of the carrwheel. It is evident that an electrical cirwheels 13 andll-bruslies 54,pins 50, wires 48 and motorlll. j y

modified form of circuit means is shown 1n Fig. 4. Herein a liber shaftis adjustably secured in and projects outwardly beyondA the ends of thevertically-disposed T connec- The motor Yguide structure.

tion 47. A metal pin 57 extends through the upper end of shaft 56,toward the adjacent car wheel, and has a swivel member 58 attached tothe end adjacent the wheel. A centrally ribbed roller wheel 59 ismounted in member 58 and is urged arainst the periphery 'of the adjacentwheel by means of a spring 60 disposed on pin 57` between swivel member58 and shaft 56, tension of this spring being adjustable by means of anut 61 threadedly received upon the outer end of pin 57. The vribbedportion of roller 59 is adapted to extend into the grooved portion ofthe wheel 'and the lateral sections thereof are adapted to 'ride uponthe periphery of the wheel.

Motor wire 48 may be connected'to pin 57 bevibertube 65 suitablyattached, asl at'66, to

the lower end of theyverticallydisposed T- connection 47. A coil vspring67 disposed interiorlyof tube 65, encloses stem 64 and seats upon shoe62. A metal screw 68 is threadedly received in a liber core 69 inTfpiece 47, and

projects downwardly into tube 65, having an abutment plate 70 on itslower` end adapted t`o `contact spring 67, whereby tension of the springis adjustable by movement of screw 68. The motor wire is attached toshoe 62 kas at 71 and passes upwardly Vinto .the adjacent pipe armthroughv a perforation 72 therein'. j

A dummy rabbit 73,or. thelike, may be attached rat the end of a verticalrod 74 con `nected to a rigid support arm 75 extending frein the car andover the adjacent fence surrounding the race course. `Arm 75 may beremovably attached tothe car Vby means of a Herein a shoe 62, adapted toride,

support block 76 secured upon `the top of v flanges 17 v`and18 andhavingan arm-receiving passage 77 with a threaded bolt 78 projectingthereinto. y

The commutator 11 may be provided with removable shield means 79Ybywhich access may be had to the adjacent partsr and the latterprotcctedlfrom dirt and foreign matter.

Fig. 8 illustrates a modified form of upper Herein, the pulley 33 ispivotally mounted in the hook portion 8O of a short vertical arm 81having offsets as at 82 and 83 for bringing sai/d hook portion intoalignment with the upwardly disposed I 7 -guide rail 34. Arm 81 passesloosely through Ycuit has been` established through railsfl6,`

journal member 84 secured in cross bar 37 adjacent the end thereof. Thelower end of arm 81 projects belowth'e bar 37. and has; a coil spring 85thereon 'whichabuts the meinber 84 at its tcp end andthe adjustableplate A86A at its lower end. The arms of frame l21 are secured as at' 87to the Vends ofA cross bar iso 37. Spring 85 serves to retain pulley 38in constant contact with its rail 84, compensating for possibleirregularities in the surface tracks, or in said rail.

Electric current passed through one of the circuits previously describedresults in movement of the carrier about its track. A reversiblevariable speed motor and control having akplurality of speeds, may beused. The common practice at the finish of a race is to drop a curtain,across the course, shutting off the rabbit from the view of the dogs.After this, the electric current is cut off and the car is permitted tocome to a stop.

The device of this invention is compact and readily t-ransported, and iscomparatively light in weight, yet any danger of removal from its trackwhile in use is practically eliminated by its novel form of mounting`and the balanced retaining forces acting thereon. Due to the simplicityof its construction it has the added advantage of a low manufacturingcost.

What is claimed is: v

l. The combination with a pair of endless metal tracks, of a deviceadapted to run upon said tracks and comprising a pair of metal wheelsfixed upon a common shaft and electrically insulated from said shaft, amotor mounted upon the shaft intermediate the Wheels and adapted todrive the shaft, a pair of parallel arms attached one each to one sideof the motor and extending upwardly therefrom in divergent relationship,an oVerha-nging support structure erected at one side of the tracks, aflanged rail attached to the overhanging portion of said support aboveand in alignment with said divergent arms, a pulley pivotally mounted atthe upper end of each of said arms, means normally urging the pulleysupwardly into association with said anged rail and means lattached tothe car and normally contacting the wheels thereof, said means beingelectrically connected to the motor whereby electric current passedthrough the tracks is transmitted to the motor for effecting movement ofthe car upon the tracks.

2. In a lure carrier the combination of a pair of surface tracks, anelevated guide disposed in a plane parallel with and intermediate thesurface tracks, a motor having an extended armature shaft, tractionalsupporting wheels on said shaft, electrically insulated therefrom andengaging the. surface tracks, the surface tracks carrying electricalcurrent for the motor, brush means electrically connecting the motorwith said tracks, a frame member attached to the motor and extendingabove it and having a pair of tractional means engaging the elevatedguide, and means carried by the motor and extending transversely of thetrack for suspending a lure closely adjacent the plane of the surfacetracks.

3. In a lure carrier the combination of a pair of surface tracks, anelevated rail disposed in a plane intermediate said tracks, a shaft,wheels rigidly mounted in electrically insulated relationon said shaftand adapted torun on said surface tracks, electricall motor meanssupported by said shaft and having driving relation therewith, means onthe motor tractionally engaging the elevated rail for stabilizing themotor on its supporting shaft, and brush means contacting said wheelsand electrically connecting the motor and the tracks.

4. In a device of the class described a motor comprising a stator and anarmature, an armature shaft extending on both sides of the motor,tractional supporting wheels fixed 0n said shaft and electricallyinsulated therefrom, a frame extending above the motor and adapted fortractional engagement upon an elevated rail, and means to supplyenergizing current to the motor.

5. A lure carrier adapted to run upon electrically-energized tracks andcomprising a shaft, wheels fixed upon the shaft and electricallyinsulated therefrom the wheels being adapted to run upon said tracks, amotor i mounted upon the shaft in driving relationship therewith, meansfor energizing the motor from the current carried by the tracks, a framesecured upon and extending above-the motor and projecting forwardly andrearwardly of the motor in substantial parallelism withthe tracks, meansdisposed above the tracks and adapted to engage said frame formaintaining cooperative relation of the wheels and motor with saidtracks, and means on the motor for supporting a lure.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this 24th dayof May, 1930.

HARRY OVERBERG.

